SELF-LEARNING HOME TASK (SLHT)

Subject: UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY & POLITICS

MELC: Explain the context, content, processes, and consequences of socialization

Name ______________________________ Section ________ Date ________

School: Cordova National High School District: Cordova

A. Readings/Discussions

Lesson 5: How Society is Organized

This module was designed to alternatively help the learners understand how society is organized by
analysing different aspects of social organization. Different terminologies will be introduced such as the
distinction between primary and secondary groups, in-groups and out-groups, reference groups and networks.
Social group is comprised of two or more people who interact or socialize with one another, share similar
interests, beliefs, and values.

Further, this topic will serve as an introduction to the discussion of cultural, social, and political
institutions in the context of social norms and patterns of behaviour that relate to major social interests.

After going through this module, you are expected to:

What is Social Group?

There are groups of people everywhere you go. As a person, you may belong to many different types of groups:
a religious group, an ethnic group, your workplace colleague group, your college class, a sports team, etc. These
groups can also be called social groups. We have something in common with others in the same group, we
identify with the group, and the group can create a sense of belonging for us. A group is different from an
aggregate, where people are temporarily together in a space, maybe even doing the same things, but do not
identify them as belonging together. For example, being in a crowded supermarket or standing in line at the
movie theater does not make you feel like you belong with the people doing the same thing as you. A group is
also different from a category. If you are in the same category as a person, you may share similar
characteristics—like age, height, or you both wear glasses, but you may not interact or feel the sense of
belonging.

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Primary and Secondary

The difference between primary and secondary groups lies in the kinds of relationships their members
have with one another.

Primary groups involve interaction among members who have an emotional investment or attachment in
one another and in a situation, who know one another intimately, and interact as total individuals rather than
through specialized roles. They are normally smaller in number and occur in a long period of time. Example
relationships under primary group are between friends, husband and wife, parent and child, and teacher and
pupil. On the other hand, sample groups under primary groups include play group, family, village/neighbourhood
and work team.

Secondary groups are characterized by much less intimacy among its members. It usually has specific
goals, is formally organized, and is impersonal. This type of group tends to be larger than primary group, and
its members do not necessarily interact with all other members. Members’ feeling about, and behaviour toward,
one another are patterned mostly by their statuses and roles rather than by personality characteristics. Example
relationships under secondary group are between clerk and customer, announcer and listener, performer and
spectator and officer and subordinate. On the other hand, sample groups under secondary group include nation,
clerical hierarchy, professional association, and corporation.

In-Groups and Out-Groups

In sociology and social psychology, in-groups and out-groups are social groups to which an individual
feels as though he or she belongs as a member, or towards which they feel contempt, opposition, or a desire
to compete, respectively. People tend to hold positive attitudes towards members of their own groups, a
phenomenon known as in-group bias. The term originates from social identity theory which grew out of the
work of social psychologists Henri Tajfel and John Turner. In addition, an in-group is a social group to which
a person psychologically identifies as being a member. By contrast, an out-group is a social group with which
an individual does not identify. For example, people may find it psychologically meaningful to view themselves
according to their race, culture, gender, age, or religion. It has been found that the psychological membership
of social groups and categories is associated with a wide variety of phenomena.

The significance of ingroup and outgroup categorization was identified using a method called the minimal
group paradigm. Tajfel and colleagues found that people can form self-preferencing ingroups within a matter

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of minutes and that such groups can form even on the basis of completely arbitrary and invented discriminatory
characteristics, such as preferences for certain painting.

Furthermore, in-group favoritism refers to a preference and affinity for one’s in-group over the out-
group or anyone viewed as outside the in-group. This can be expressed in evaluation of others, linking, allocation
of resources, and many other ways. A key notion in understanding in-group/out-group biases is determining the
psychological mechanism that drives the bias. One of the key determinants of group biases is the need to
improve self-esteem. That is individuals will find a reason, no matter how insignificant, to prove to themselves
why their group is superior.

Discrimination between ingroups and outgroups is a matter of favoritism towards an ingroup and the
absence of equivalent favoritism towards an outgroup. Outgroup derogation is the phenomenon in which an
outgroup is perceived as being threatening to the members of an ingroup.[ This phenomenon often accompanies
ingroup favoritism, as it requires one to have an affinity towards their ingroup. Some research suggests that
outgroup derogation occurs when an outgroup is perceived as blocking or hindering the goals of an ingroup. It
has also been argued that outgroup derogation is a natural consequence of the categorization process.

Intergroup aggression is any behavior intended to harm another person because he or she is a
member of an out group. Intergroup aggression is a by product of in-group bias, in that if the beliefs of the in-
group are challenged or if the in-group feels threatened, then they will express aggression toward the out-
group. The major motive for intergroup aggression is the perception of a conflict of interest between in-group
and out-group. The way the aggression is justified is through dehumanizing the out-group, because the more
the out-group is dehumanized the “less they deserve the humane treatment enjoined by universal norms.

Reference Groups

A reference group is a group or social category that an individual uses to help define beliefs, attitudes,
and values and to guide behaviour. It is often a category we identify with, rather than a specific group we
belong to. In addition, they provide a comparison against which people measure themselves and others.

Positive reference groups are composed of people we want to emulate. Negative reference groups, on
the other hand, provide a model we do not wish to follow.

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Types of Reference Groups

Reference groups can be divided into two major types:

A normative reference group influences your norms, attitudes, and values through direct interaction.

A comparative reference group is a group of individuals whom you compare yourself against and may
strive to be like.

Social Network

Social network is a sociological concept for a set of social relations between network elements that interact
and which are in particular individuals. Social groups or teams, organizational units or whole organizations can
also be network elements in the organization.

Basic types of social network in the organization are:

Formal organizational structure; and

Informal organizational structure

Social network is currently very frequently used term especially in connection with the web community networks
such as Facebook. This meaning of social network drowns out correct, the above described meaning.

Social Network in practice: All our function at work and in private takes place in some social networks.
In every social network it is all about relations that include social interaction and social communication. Social
network can be described, mapped and analyzed. The usual methods are social network analysis and
sociometry. The social network in the organization forms an informal organizational structure. Its influence on
the events and decision making in the organization is greater in less authoritative management styles and types
of the organizations. Often in practice, the informal organizational structure is more influential on what is
happening in the organization than the formal organizational structure.

Group simply means individuals or things that are part of certain classed together or forming a whole.
Social Science defines as an interaction in different forms that human involves. It is clearly justifying that “No
man in an island” which denotes relationship involving one or group of people. Individual cannot live if he/she
isolates himself/herself in the society. A man is a social animal who never lives in isolation. Therefore, the group
found in a human society refers to social group distinctively. A social group is not a typical simple collection or
aggression of individuals but rather exhibition of some social coherence. Thus, social relationship requires degree
of mutual exchange and awareness between those related. It is the plurality of persons who have a common
identity in the sense of some feeling of unity, certain common goals and shared norms and who identify
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themselves as a distinguishable social unit. The substantial of the social group is not physical intimacy but an
awareness of interaction. Groups are among the stable and enduring of social units which are crucial both to
their members and to the society at large. Regular and predictable behavior of the group from the structure
upon which the society depends.

Activity 1: Are you in or out?

Look around you and identify your “real-life groups”. Give examples to the following by writing
your answers on the spaces provided on each category.

A. Primary Group
1. __________________________________
2. __________________________________
3. __________________________________
4. __________________________________

B. Secondary Group
1. __________________________________
2. __________________________________
3. __________________________________
C. In-Group
1. __________________________________
2. __________________________________
3. __________________________________

D. Out-Group
1. __________________________________
2. __________________________________

E. Reference Group
1. __________________________________
2. __________________________________
3. __________________________________

Activity 2

Learning Competency: Traces kinship and ties and social networks through understanding and analyzing
concept.

Fill in the blank

DIRECTIONS: Fill in the blank space with correct word. Choose the vocabulary inside the oval.

1. Primary groups involve interaction among members who have an _________ investment or attachment in
one another.

2. Secondary groups are characterized by much less ________ among its members.

3. In-group is a social group to which a person psychologically identifies as being a __________.

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4. Out-group is a social group with which an individual does not _____________.

5. Tajfel and colleagues found that people can form ____________ in-groups within a matter of minutes and
that such groups can form even on the basis of completely arbitrary and invented _____________
characteristics, such as preferences for certain painting.

6. Discrimination between ingroups and outgroups is a matter of favoritism towards an ingroup and the
absence of equivalent ___________ towards an outgroup.

7. Intergroup aggression is any behavior intended to _________ another person because he or she is a
member of an out group.

8. Positive reference groups are composed of people we want to __________. Negative reference groups, on
the other hand, provide a model we do not wish to __________.

9. A normative reference group influences your norms, attitudes, and ________ through direct interaction.

10. Social network is a ___________ concept for a set of social relations between network elements that
interact and which are in particular individuals.

emotional intimacy member identify

self-preferencing discriminating favoritism harm

emulate follow values sociological

Assessment

DIRECTIONS: Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the letter on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Which of the following involves interaction among members who have an emotional investment or attachment
in one another and in a situation?
A. In-group B. Out-group C. Primary D. Secondary
2. It is characterized by much less intimacy among its members.
A. In-group B. Out-group C. Primary D. Secondary
3. Performer, clerk, customer and employee are examples of:
A. In-group B. Out-group C. Primary D. Secondary
4. It a social group to which a person psychologically identifies as being a member.
A. In-group B. Out-group C. Primary D. Secondary
5. It is a social group with which an individual is not identified.
A. In-group B. Out-group C. Primary D. Secondary
6. Which of the following refers to a preference and affinity for one’s in-group over the out-group or anyone
viewed as outside the in-group?
A. In-group favoritism B. Out-group favoritism
C. Primary favoritism D. Secondary favoritism
7. It is any behavior intended to harm another person because he or she is a member of an out-group.
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 A. Intergroup aggression B. Out-group favoritism
C. Primary favoritism D. Secondary favoritism
8. These are composed of people we want to emulate.
A. Aggregate B. In-group C. Negative reference group D. Positive reference group
9. Which of the following influences your norms, attitudes and values through direct interaction?
A. Comparative reference group B. Negative reference group
C. Normative reference group D. Positive reference group
10. It is a group of individuals whom you compare yourself against and may strive to be like.
A. Comparative reference group B. Negative reference group
C. Normative reference group D. Positive reference group
11. It is a sociological concept for a set of social relations between network elements that interact and which
are in particular individuals.
A. In-group B. Out-group C. Primary D. Social Network
12. Family, teacher, friends, and husband are examples of:
A. In-group B. Out-group C. Primary D. Secondary
13. It is different from a group, in the sense that people are temporarily together in a space, maybe even doing
the same things, but do not identify them as belonging together.
A. Aggregate B. Group C. Primary D. Secondary
14. Passengers riding on a bus is an example of:
A. Aggregate B. Group C. Primary D. Secondary
15. The social network in the organization forms a/an:
A. Formal organizational structure B. Information organizational structure
C. Primary organization D. Secondary organization

References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingroups_and_outgroups
https://study.com/academy/lesson/reference-groups-in-marketing-definition-types-examples.html
http://content.inflibnet.ac.in/data-server/eacharya-documents/5717528c8ae36ce69422587d_INFIEP_304/63/ET/304-63-ET-V1-S1__file1.pdf
Credits to:

Department of Education – Bureau of Learning Resources (DepEd-BLR)